a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a water decontaminating system and apparatus, and also a method related to the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a point of use water treatment which could be used, for example, at a person's home, for camping, at construction sites, or other situations where on site water purification is needed.
b) Background Art
Where water is supplied in large quantities, such as a water district serving a community, there are in the prior art various systems in place to accomplish the decontamination of the water. However, there are many other instances where "small scale" water decontamination needs to be accomplished. For example, a home may draw its water from its own well, and the water may not meet the required standards. Even if the water does meet the required standards people may wish to decontaminate the water beyond the minimum requirements established by that community. There are other instances, for example, where a person may be away from an established water source, such as camping, or at a work location where the people are not near an established source of clean water.
A search of the patent literature has disclosed a number of concepts for disinfecting water and/or other treatments of water. These are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,355 (Brennan et al) shows a system for dissolving a chlorine-containing material such as calcium hypochlorite into water. The water flows through a siphon into a vertical tube containing a dissolvable chlorine compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,280 (Tom) shows a means for dissolving detergent or the like in a fluid feed system. There is a flap valve 74 that directs water out of the body of detergent 58, and toward the outlet. The valve can be flipped to direct fluid out of the system without picking up any detergent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,178 (Dietz) shows a device for dissolving chlorine carried in tablets contained in the enclosure. The water flows in through the top, around the tablets, and out through an automatic siphon tube, which opens at 18, and includes tube sections 19 and 20. Water enters through the bottom and flows upward until it reaches the height of the siphon and flows out carrying some of the dissolving material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,571 (Knapp) shows a mixing device in which water flows into a container where it mixes with an insecticide.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,464 (Walker) shows a chemical mixing system in which fluid flows to a basket of material and picks up some of the material to be dissolved. The fluid then flows to a storage area.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,916 (Neel) shows a means for dissolving material insecticide into a flow line.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,600,877 (Jefree) shows a mixing system in which there is an extended tube 21. The input fluid entering through 20 is pulsed and as it moves through pipe 21. Suction draws fluid from a supply chamber such as 42.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,223,747 (Suss) shows a system for dissolving material from crushed oil seed material. The seed flows into the chamber and mixes with the solvent. The solvent/oil mix flows out one exit, the de-oiled seed material out another exit.
U.S. Pat. No. 709,135 (Brown) shows an ore leaching system in which the ore and a fluid such as water or an acid are mixed. The ore/fluid mix travels through sections of pipe that are divided by valves. The valves open and close so that the time the mixed materials are in contact can be controlled.
In spite of various concepts in the prior art to provide water disinfecting/decontaminating systems, there still exists a need for an efficient, cost effective, and convenient means for decontaminating water at the point of use. Further, there is need for such a system where this can be done quickly and yet efficiently, and also where the equipment can be provided in a compact and portable package that can conveniently and promptly set up for operation at the point of use.
It is the object of the present invention to provide such a system and method which has a desirable balance of qualities with regard to the items listed in the above paragraph.